Chris Hope

This discussion was recorded live before an audience at the 2026 Fall District of Parry Sound Municipal Association Summit in the township of Carling, Ontario in September.

Joining us were three municipal leaders with perspectives from different municipalities across the district, Seguin Mayor Anne McDermott, Armour Mayor Rod Ward, and Burk's Falls Mayor Chris Hope.

We asked them to look back on where their municipality stood four years ago, and to look ahead at where they may be four, 10, even 20 years from now.

What will change? What has changed? What pressures are likely still to last four years from now or a decade from now? How do smaller municipalities attract housing, workers, and investments while maintaining the services residents depend on today? And perhaps the most important question of all, what will it take to ensure that communities across the District of Parry Sound remain places where people of all generations can live, can work, and can build a future? Those are the questions at the center of this edition of Municipal Affairs.

But I'm dedicated to making this a great place to live.

Thank you.

My name is Chris Hope.

I'm mayor of Burk's Falls.

I'm Christopher Brown, and this is Cross Border Interviews.

Mayor, thank you so much for chatting with me.

Greatly appreciate it.

Gotta start with a simple question.

If I do not say it, I'll get at least one email from someone.

Sure.

So, Mayor, in your opinion, as of recording this at the end of September 2026, what do you believe is the biggest challenge facing Burks Falls today?

Well, it's growth.